Chapter 1: The Demon Lord Needs a Job?!

The village of Windmere was like something straight out of a fairytale. Quaint little houses with thatched roofs, cobblestone streets lined with flower beds, and cheerful villagers going about their day. Children played in the streets, birds chirped in the distance, and the warm scent of freshly baked bread drifted through the air.

It was disgusting.

Leonard Nightfall, once feared as the Demon Lord of Eternal Night, stood at the entrance of the village, arms crossed, expression twisted in a mixture of confusion and barely concealed disgust. This was not how the world was supposed to be. Where were the burning cities? The fearful mortals crying out his name in terror? Instead, there was a kind old woman selling turnips.

"What in the hells is this crap?" he muttered under his breath.

He had survived divine smites, waged wars against entire kingdoms, and crushed legendary heroes beneath his heel. And yet, the greatest force in existence now loomed before him—an overwhelming, oppressive power that even the mightiest Demon Lords feared.

Poverty.

A heavy weight settled in his stomach as the realization hit him. He had no castle. No army. No gold. Nothing. His pride screamed at him to demand tribute, to march into this village and claim it as his own, but… his stomach had other ideas.

Grimacing, Leonard clenched his fists. Fine. If world domination had to wait, so be it. He needed money.

With a dramatic sweep of his cloak—one that went completely unnoticed by the villagers—he strode into town. Heads turned almost immediately. A tall, black-haired man in a black cloak, glaring at everything, walking with the air of someone who had never worked a day in his life? He stood out like a sore thumb.

"Oi, look at him," a shopkeeper muttered to his wife. "Some lost noble?"

"Dressed too fancy to be from around here," she replied with a suspicious squint.

"Mister, are you a vampire?" a random child piped up.

Leonard stopped mid-stride, slowly turning to face the child. "What did you just call me, brat?"

The kid gasped, eyes wide with excitement. "He's got red eyes! He's totally a vampire!"

The whispers spread like wildfire.

"Is he a runaway prince?"

"Maybe he's a sorcerer in disguise."

"Could be one of those traveling performers…"

"…or an unemployed rich guy?"

Leonard's eye twitched. Unemployed? Him? He used to command legions of demons! He had entire fortresses built in his name! And now, people thought he was some broke noble looking for work?!

Unfortunately… they weren't entirely wrong.

Swallowing his pride, he made his way toward the village's job board. His sharp eyes scanned the postings, his scowl deepening with each one.

"Farmhand Needed! (Must Have Experience)" – Absolutely not.

"Maid Wanted at Silver Bell Inn (Females Preferred)" – …Why was that one underlined?

"Goblin Problem Near the East Forest! Reward: 5 Silver" – Goblins? Please. A waste of his talents.

"Blacksmith's Apprentice – Strength Required" – Ugh. Manual labor? Pass.

A low growl rumbled from his stomach. No, he wasn't about to starve to death in some backwater town. He had to take something.

He turned to the guild worker handling the postings, a middle-aged man with tired eyes. "I require money. Give me work."

The man raised an eyebrow. "Uh… what kinda skills you got, mister?"

"I am the Supreme Overlord of Darkness."

A long silence. The guild worker sighed. "So… nothing useful?"

Leonard's jaw tightened. "I can crush mountains with my bare hands."

"Yeah, but can you milk a cow?"

"…What?"

The guild worker sighed again, rubbing his head. "Look, we got farm jobs, blacksmithing, monster hunting… You good with animals?"

"I once commanded a dragon army."

"…So, no."

Leonard inhaled deeply through his nose, forcing himself not to incinerate the entire board in frustration. "Fine. What pays the most?"

The guild worker flipped through the job postings, pausing before looking Leonard up and down. "Well… there is one job open. But it's, uh… a bit difficult."

"Tch. There is no challenge beyond my might."

"Alright," the guild worker said with a shrug. "Good luck, buddy."

Fifteen minutes later—

"ORDER UP! TABLE THREE NEEDS SOUP!"

Leonard staggered forward, arms shaking, barely balancing a tray of hot stew as he maneuverer through the crowded tavern. The Silver Bell Inn was packed, filled with hungry travellers and rowdy customers, and against all logic and reason—Leonard had somehow ended up as a waiter.

He had fought against gods. He had shattered kingdoms. And now, he was delivering soup.

A noblewoman at the far table tapped her foot impatiently. "My order is taking too long!"

"Be silent, woman, and accept your rations," Leonard muttered under his breath as he approached the table.

The moment he set the tray down, the entire table collapsed.

The soup launched into the air—and landed directly onto the noblewoman's expensive silk dress.

A long, slow silence filled the tavern. Leonard stared at the mess. The noblewoman's face twitched.

"Y-YOU… YOU IDIOT!!"

Leonard blinked. "Ah."

The next few moments were a blur. One second, he was standing there. The next, he was running for his life, being chased out of the tavern by an enraged mob.

"Tch. That wasn't my fault," he grumbled as he ducked down an alleyway.

From a safe distance, the guild worker watched the chaos unfold with a knowing shake of his head. "Saw that coming."

Leonard collapsed onto a wooden bench in the middle of town, exhausted. This world was ridiculous.

He had ruled over an empire of darkness. He had bent the strongest warriors to his will. And yet, he couldn't hold down a single job.

He stared up at the sky, defeated. Was this really how his legendary existence was going to play out? A once-feared Demon Lord, struggling to find work in some no-name village?

And yet… as he sat there, watching the villagers bustle around him, an unfamiliar thought crept into his mind. Maybe… world domination could wait.

For now, he just needed a meal.